Dwight Howard (shoulder) might play in Boston

Lakers center Dwight Howard has been dealing with shoulder problems but could return against the Celtics. MICHAEL GOULDING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

BOSTON — Dwight Howard took part in the Lakers' Thursday morning shootaround in Boston, his first team activity since aggravating his sore right shoulder and a decent indication he could make his return to game action Thursday night against the Celtics.

Howard hasn't played for a week as he waits for the pain from his torn labrum to decrease, even though Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant has suggested ever since that Jan. 30 game in Phoenix that Howard's pain tolerance is going to be an issue for him to navigate the rest of the season.

Bryant said Tuesday night that because Howard has not had many non-debilitating injuries to deal with during his career, he hasn't learned how to manage pain.

Howard's participation in shootaround Thursday suggests he'll return against Boston, with another game to follow Friday in Charlotte before a day off in advance of the trip-ending Sunday showdown with the Miami Heat.

What Bryant has been doing in publicly discussing Howard's ability or lack thereof to play through pain the past week is very similar to what former Lakers coach Phil Jackson did with Kwame Brown in 2005 and to a lesser extent with Pau Gasol in 2009 when they were fearful of playing through hamstring injuries.

Howard's labrum injury won't heal with mere rest, although the pain will decrease. Howard will remain subject to further aggravation when he plays. He doesn't want to think about possible offseason surgery, but it is an option -- as Bryant underwent in 2003 to repair his shoulder.

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